Ohio State Football: Ranking the Hardest Games of the 2014 Schedule

Ohio State hasn’t lost a regular-season game since November of 2011, when Luke Fickell’s Buckeyes capped a miserable year with a 40-34 loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

Since then, Urban Meyer has guided the Buckeyes through two regular seasons unscathed. Some, like Michael Rosenberg of SI.com, claim that the Buckeyes’ historic win streak came as a result of weak competition.

Whether that’s true or not, the same won’t be said about Ohio State’s 2014 slate.

While no one will confuse the Buckeyes’ upcoming schedule for a typical SEC gauntlet, an upgraded nonconference slate will give Ohio State’s reputation a major boost.

The Buckeyes will play a number of talented teams that either boast a unique offensive attack, a dominant defense or have revenge on the mind.

Here’s a ranking of Ohio State’s hardest games of the 2014 season.

5. Aug. 30 vs. Navy (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore)

Last year: 9-4

Simply put, Navy isn’t a fun team to play.

The triple-option attack is one of the most difficult offenses to defend and the Midshipmen—who ranked No. 2 with 325 rushing yards per game in 2013—execute it better than any team in the country.

Navy’s blocking schemes will effectively eliminate any size advantage for the Buckeyes defense. If Ohio State is out of position—something that happened regularly last season—the Midshipmen will move the ball at will and keep the Buckeyes offense off the field.